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Full-Fat Cheese This dairy product is an excellent source of casein protein—one of the best muscle-building nutrients you can eat. Danish researchers found that even when men ate 10 ounces of full-fat cheese daily for 3 weeks, their LDL (“bad”) cholesterol didn’t budge.

Iceberg Lettuce

Half a head of iceberg lettuce has significantly more alpha-carotene, a powerful disease-fighting antioxidant, than either romaine lettuce or spinach.

Mushrooms

This fungi’s metabolites —­ by-products ­created when mushrooms are broken down during digestion — have been shown to boost immunity and prevent cancer growth, report researchers in the Netherlands.

Red-Pepper Flakes

A Dutch study found that consuming a gram of red-pepper flakes — about half a teaspoon — 30 minutes prior to a meal reduced calorie intake by 16 percent. Plus, research suggests its active ingredient, capsaicin, may help kill cancer cells. I often recommend capsaicin cream for my arthritic clients to rub into sore joints.

Vinegar

Scientists in ­Sweden discovered that when people consumed 2 tablespoons of vinegar with a high-carb meal, their blood sugar was 23 percent lower than when they skipped the antioxidant-loaded liquid. They also felt fuller.